


Mark Mistakes

by Ink_pen



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Cisco as vibe, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-17
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-08-09 08:51:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7795297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ink_pen/pseuds/Ink_pen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Originally posted on tumblr.</p><p>A Flashvibe Soulmate AU. Cisco and Barry can be oblivious. Catlin has been waiting for this moment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mark Mistakes

Cisco wasn’t an idiot. He knew what was up. From the moment the name Bartholomew scrawled its way around his wrist he knew his love life was a little doomed. With a fancy name like that, Cisco figured he had almost no chance. 

Cisco grew up in the shadow of a talented brother. He knew how to make do.

So he wore a watch. Or a bracelet. Or long sleeves. He kept it covered, which wasn’t unusual, and got on with his life. He had enough troubles that he didn’t often think about it. He still dated, and socialised. He made friends with one Catlin Snow who had no soul mark but had fallen in love anyway. She was an inspiration.

Then everything changed.

No, the fire nation didn’t attack, although sometimes Cisco thinks that would have been easier to deal with. Barry Allen crashed into his life and brought with him a stream of metas and chaos.

Cisco fell in love. 

But things kept getting weirder, and soon he was fighting alongside the scarlet speedster wearing glowing goggles. He felt like he had jumped straight out of a comic book.

It was after his very first official mission as Vibe that the whole soulmate thing came back to slap him in the face.

“Central City!” Barry announced to the night as the two of them stood grinning over a handcuffed meta “I give you…Vibe!”

Cisco felt his cheeks redden as he nudged his friend. “Dude…” he hissed, as the crowd on the outskirts of the destruction let out a cheer, and news presenters started frantically reporting about the new mysterious hero.

Barry laughed, and Cisco couldn’t help but grin in response. 

“Cisco, trust me, you do not want some random writer coming up with a name for you.” They both cringed at the memory of the name ‘The Streak’ “And you totally deserve this. You barely even needed me.”

Cisco smiled genuinely, and Barry didn’t think he’d ever seen anything more beautiful. “Thanks Barry. Seriously.”

The speedster nodded, then scooped up the meta and sped off into the distance. Within moments he was back, lifting Cisco into his arms and whisking him off as well. There was more cheering as they entered the cortex.

“Cisco!” Catlin squealed, quickly hugging him before pulling back. “You kicked ass.” she said solemnly as light danced in her eyes.

Barry looked offended. “What about me?”

Catlin snorted. “Barry, this may be the first mission in months where you haven’t returned with an injury. I think Cisco deserves a little praise”

Cisco found himself grinning again. “Okay, I’m awesome. Now let’s get to the group hug so I can go take a shower.”

The three squeezed each other, relishing in the familiar warmth. The moment was shattered by a sharp cry of “Cisco!”

The trio released each other and turned to find Dante standing in the doorway, his features like thunder.

“What on earth do you think you were doing out there?” he demanded.

Cisco looked confused.

“Uh, helping The Flash? It’s kind of my job?”

“You’re meant to be doing your science…thing! Or having visions or vibes or whatever. You shouldn’t be fighting!”

The two were now standing close, both looking severely annoyed, and the conversation quickly descended into them spitting harsh sounding Spanish at each other.

Once again, Barry wished he had taken a language.

Finally Dante stepped back, still with a scowl. 

“Fine, but don’t blame me when you make Mama cry, Paco!” he yelled, storming out of the cortex.

Caitlin was almost instantly by Cisco side, but for Barry, the world had gone quiet.

“Paco?” he whispered.

Somehow, Cisco heard him.

“Oh yeah, it’s what I used to go by. I don’t really use it so much anymore. But family, what are you gonna do?” he attempted a lopsided grin, but his eyes were still sad.

Barry wordlessly reached for his wrist and pulled of his glove, before tugging back the tight fabric of his suit’s sleeve. There, in a silver, messy scrawl was the name Paco.

Cisco gasped like he was vibing, recoiling backwards. Was he…Barry’s soulmate? For a moment he found himself smiling, but then his face fell.

“My wrist…it doesn’t say Barry” he explained softly, the words heavy on his tongue. He didn’t want to say them. He wanted Barry to be his soulmate.

The still masked man took his hand and pulled off his cloth wristband, revealing the red blocky Bartholomew.

Barry smiled, then pulled an entranced Cisco into his arms.

“Barry is a nickname, idiot.” He whispered, before capturing Cisco’s lips.

Still standing to the side, Catlin squeaked and snapped a photo on her phone. She had been waiting too long for this to let the moment be forgotten.

**Author's Note:**

> By the way, the fire nation line is a reference to Avatar the Last Air Bender. This is the first fanfiction I am posting on A03, and I know it is quite short, but I hope it is okay!


End file.
